


Nature

by Huggle



Category: due South
Genre: Aquaphobia, Gen, Hurt Ray Kowalski, Outdoor Bathing (sort of), Trust, Worried Benton Fraser
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:27:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26551360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huggle/pseuds/Huggle
Summary: Chasing a suspect through the forest, Ray gets covered in a tree sap that can cause some serious reactions.The only solution is to get it off him, quickly, but he isn’t going to like how Fraser plans to do it.
Relationships: Benton Fraser & Ray Kowalski
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9
Collections: Bite Sized Bits of Fic





	Nature

**Author's Note:**

> First due South fic, written one shot for a comment fic prompt.
> 
> As to how Fraser gets Ray back to the car, well, he’s a resourceful Canadian and a mountie. He’ll think of something.
> 
> Probably involving carrying.

“You’re shitting me,” Ray says, and Fraser isn’t sure why, given that his partner’s been looking suspiciously at every tree, every animal, every rock since they got out of the car and took off on foot after Brian Neilson. 

Their quarry is probably beyond being caught by them, now, but Ray’s wellbeing takes precedence which is why Fraser doesn’t really have time to persuade him that he is not, in fact, shitting him.

“I can assure you, Ray, I’m not,” he says, and then he tugs Ray’s coat down and off, tosses it aside, and then starts on Ray’s clothes.

“Easy, fuck, that’s...look, the Canadian embassy doesn’t give me a clothing allowance, but they’re gonna have to if you don’t take it easy!”

“I’ll speak to the inspector,” Fraser says, and then he kneels down, encourages Ray to put a hand on his back for balance, and that’s how he gets Ray out of his boots and his pants.

The pool is right behind them, and Fraser can tell by looking that it’s going to be cold, but there’s not enough time to find a way to fashion a container and start heating water for Ray to bathe with.

With a sigh, he turns his partner around and urges him to the edge.

“Ah, fuck, it looks cold,” Ray says. “Fraser, c’mon, Fraser!”

The high squeal that comes from Ray sounds like the anguished death throes of some unfortunate animal; he’s no sooner in the water than he’s immediately trying to get back out, thrashing, even, but Fraser grabs his shoulders and holds him in place.

“Ray. Ray. _Ray_. The sap you were exposed to can cause severe allergic reactions. We need to get it off of you.”

“Fine,” Ray says. “So I don’t die of an allergic reaction. I get to freeze to death instead. Fuck.”

Fraser sighs. The quickest way to do this is probably the least acceptable to his partner, the temperature of the water aside.

“Do you trust me?”

Ray’s eyeing him with something that was annoyance and now looks like suspicion.

“The quickest way to get me to not trust you is to ask if I trust you. Makes me think you’re about to do something that needs me to trust you. What is it, Fraser?”

“There’s some of it on your face. In your hair. For speed, you should probably be fully immersed….”

“Ah, come on, no way.”

“Ray.”

He watches Ray look down at the water, clear, at least, and yet…. He can’t blame Ray for the sudden, obvious fear on his face.

“It’ll be alright,” Fraser says. “I won’t let anything happen.”

Ray clenches his fists, and he’s already shaking; Fraser’s sure that’s not all to do with temperature. “You don’t let go. And it’s down and back up, right?”

“On my word.”

Ray nods.

Fraser rests his hands on Ray’s shoulders, takes a few deep breaths, making sure Ray follows suit and then, when Ray looks at him, scared but determined, and nods, he pushes him under.

Down.

And then he grabs Ray’s shoulders tighter and pulls him back up.

“Ray. Ray? Ray!” 

There’s nothing, no snapped complaint about how he’s now cold all over, about how his idea of down and back up must clearly differ from Canada’s, nothing.

Fraser drops into the pool and shakes Ray hard.

He looks...unfocused, his face slack, eyes empty.

“Ray. Ray, it’s alright. Ray, this isn’t…”

A sinking ship, water rising, with them trapped beneath her decks.

“...getting any fucking warmer,” Ray says, and he blinks, dazedly, and then shudders. “Can I please get out now?”


End file.
